Art metal in everyday life of the Kazakhs
Art metal, by its decorative and symbolic significance, occupied one of key positions in traditional culture of the Kazakhs. Kitchen and table utensils, metal elements of musical instruments, furniture, harness and other subjects formed a wide field of production activity of metal craftsmen. Proto - forms of some subjects, production and decorative technologies of metal making are going back to the 2nd millennium B.C., to the art of the Iron Age, art traditions of the Huns' and Qimaqo - Qipchaqs' periods. Specialization of metal craftsmen: smith - usta, jewelers - zerger, coppersmiths - kolaushi had been clearly differentiated, perhaps, till the late 19th century. By the mid - 20th century more often one person usta had combined functions of a smith, jeweler and coppersmith.
Traditional world vision of the Kazakhs includes the idea of casual connection between quantity of silver presented around and luck and welfare at home. Silver plates decorated elements of interior and housewares: wooden furniture (beds, chests, bins...